“Ah, so I’ve passed the first test, have I?” Dante chuckled, his smirk widening as he met Ayla’s gaze. “Well, I’ve always had a knack for quick learning.” He glanced at her with a twinkle in his eye. “But don’t worry, I’m sure there’s plenty more to uncover about you beyond your morning coffee habits.”
Dante’s smirk widened at Ayla’s response, finding her witty retort amusing. He chuckled softly, appreciating her playful banter. “Oh, absolutely thrilled,” he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He met her gaze with a playful glint in his eyes, enjoying the back-and-forth exchange. “Cross paths at the impending doom meeting, you say?” Dante tilted his head slightly, a hint of intrigue in his expression. “I’ll be sure to save you a seat next to mine. After all, it’s always good to have a fellow enthusiast for the apocalypse industry.” He matched her casual shrug with one of his own, the flirtatious undertones were once again evident in his playful demeanor.
The energy and banter that had been building faltered for a brief moment. Dante wasn’t quite sure if she was being oblivious of his flirting, or if this was her way to reject his advances, either way he felt a small pang of disappointment. However, Dante wouldn’t be Dante if he wasn’t adaptable, no, he was determined to keep the good vibes of the interaction thus far, to not let it dwindle down any further. The last thing he wanted to, was to show her he had been a bit disappointed.
So with Dante’s smirk softened into a playful grin he continued talking. “Just a person, huh? Well, I have to say, you’re doing a pretty remarkable job of it,” he remarked with a chuckle, his tone light-hearted. He leaned back casually, his gaze meeting Ayla’s with a hint of intrigue. “Coffee, sarcasm, and excellence in all things? Sounds like quite the winning combination.” He looked at her with a hint of scepticism, before adding with a tone that was slightly challenging, “But I’m sure that’s not all there is to you.” He had learned all to well with his interaction with Celestine the previous night, that women liked to be seen for more than just one trait or element, or well, he hoped that was the case for everyone. Either way, he definitely wouldn’t be making the same mistake by focusing in on and joking too much about one element of Ayla, but she didn’t quite make that easy for him… He didn’t even know more than a handful of things about her, and half of that was mere banter. A gut feeling told him that he really needed to step up if he wanted to get to know her better.
He knew his reaction to her returning the question, could either make or break the conversation. So, Dante did something he didn’t do often. He took a deep breath, and allowed a small break, so he wouldn’t jump into an answer too impulsively. “As for me,” Dante continues, his tone playful yet genuine, “behind these windows into the soul of mine? Well, you’ll just have to stick around and find out. Though I can assure you, it’s anything but ordinary.” He flashed her a charming grin, inviting Ayla to engage further in their banter while subtly hinting at his own depth and intrigue. While he enjoyed playing the mysterious character, he knew he had to give her something at least, something to keep the conversation going, so he added, “Spoiler alert: I’m a sucker for late-night adventures and rooftop views.” He said as he leaned back casually, his smirk widening.
@Tina.G | Ayla